After local teen Jesse Mack Butler avoided a 78-year prison sentence by pleading no contest to multiple rape and assault charges in Stillwater, Oklahoma, scores of outraged protesters gathered outside the Payne County Courts Office on Wednesday.
Instead of prison time, Butler was sentenced to community service, sparking anger among the community.
Protester Adelyn Smith expressed empathy for Butler’s victims, stating, “Almost losing your life, having a video being recorded of you almost losing your life and your assaulter being able to just walk with no punishment, a slap on the wrist and 150 hours of community service. That’s just ridiculous.”
Butler, who was 17 at the time of his arrest in March, faced charges including rape, assault, and battery. One victim reported that he recorded himself strangling her to unconsciousness.
Despite pleading no contest to all charges in August, Butler was released without serving any jail time as part of a deal between his attorneys and the prosecution.
Critics argue that Butler’s lenient sentence is due to his family’s influence in the community, as his father is a former director of operations for the Oklahoma State University football team.
Protesters, including Smith, have voiced their frustration with the justice system, with Smith stating, “We’re done not saying anything. We’re done allowing rapists to walk free. We’re done seeing the people in charge allowing this to happen.”
For support regarding sexual assault, resources such as the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s website are available.
